As the final leaves fall off the branches, the Halloween candy goes on sale and Thanksgiving approaches, it's the perfect time of year to tuck into a bowl of something warm in one of the historic Worcester Lunch Car dining cars that dot Central Massachusetts.
Ask anyone from Worcester and they'll tell you their favorite. From Miss Worcester to the Boulevard Diner, the competition within these iconic lunch cars is fierce and delicious.
The Worcester Lunch Car and Carriage Manufacturing Co. built more than 650 diners between 1906 and 1957. As many as 80 continue to operate as diners in Massachusetts and beyond, including more than a dozen in Central Massachusetts.
We're asking readers to pick their favorite diner in Central Massachusetts. We'll do that through a March Madness-style bracket challenge. Voting in the round of 16 begins today and will conclude at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 18. The next round will begin Wednesday, Nov. 19, and continue for a week.
Cast your vote below!
Blue Moon Diner vs. Yankee Diner
Blue Moon Diner, 102 Main St., Gardner
Originally known as the Blue Moon Lunch when it opened in 1929, the classic diner serves breakfast and lunch throughout the day. The diner was made by Worcester Lunch Car Co. and given the number 815.
Yankee Diner, 16 Worcester Road, Charlton
The Yankee Diner has been a Charlton landmark since the late 1950s, when it relocated to Charlton from Southbridge. The car was originally made by the Worcester Lunch Car Co.
Kenmore Diner vs. Lou Roc's Diner
Kenmore Diner, 250 Franklin St., Worcester
The Kenmore dates back to the 1940s, when it called Park Avenue home. In 1965, the diner moved to Franklin Street, where it remains. The structure was destroyed in the Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse Co. fire in December 1999. It was rebuilt and reopened in January 2001.
Lou Roc's Diner, 1074 West Boylston St., Worcester
Lou Roc's is known for massive portions of breakfast and lunch, with many regulars recommending you bring a take-home container.
Chet's Diner vs. Miss Worcester
Chet's Diner, 191 Main St., Northborough
Chet's was made by the Worcester Lunch Car Co. as number 177 and is one of the area's oldest diners to come from the historic manufacturer.
Miss Worcester Diner, 300 Southbridge St., Worcester
Built in 1948 as car number 812, Miss Worcester sits directly across the street from the former Worcester Lunch Car Co. building and was originally used as the manufacturer's showroom.
Charlie's vs. Parkway
Charlie's Diner, 5 Meadow Road, Spencer
Charlie's was made by Worcester Lunch Car Co. as number 816 in August 1948. Originally owned by Charles D. Turner Sr., the dining car was located at 344 Plantation St. in Worcester until 2003, when it was moved to Spencer.
Parkway Diner, 148 Shrewsbury St., Worcester
Millions of meatballs have been dished out at the Parkway over its 70-year history. The exterior was replaced sometime in the 1980s, but step inside and much of the interior is original. There is an expanded dining room.
Bread & Butter Diner vs. The Boulevard
Bread & Butter Diner, 59 Shrewsbury St., Boylston
This 1921 diner was renovated in 2023 and reopened by chef Christopher Bairos and his sister Zelia Frias. The diner was made by the Worcester Lunch Car Co.
Boulevard Diner, 155 Shrewsbury St., Worcester
Built in 1936, the Boulevard Diner is car number 730 from the Worcester Lunch Car Co. and is one of the oldest and best-preserved diners from the height of the manufacturer.
City Line Diner vs. Lou's Diner
City Line Diner, 1420 Main St., Worcester
This eatery opened in 2018 and while it does not have a traditional dining car from Worcester Lunch Car Co., it does have the traditional diner menu with large mouth-watering portions.
Lou's Diner, 100 Chestnut St., Clinton
Lou's has had quite a journey within Clinton's restaurant history starting in the early 1930s, when it was manufactured by Worcester Lunch Car Co. It came to Clinton in 1968; prior to that it had been called The Mayor's Lunch and was located in Townsend.
Brody's Diner vs. Salt & Pepper
Brody's Diner, 308 Hartford Turnpike #4023, Shrewsbury
Diners may recognize this eatery from comedian Jerry Seinfeld's television show "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee." The diner isn't a traditional Worcester Lunch Car Co. car but offers up the same flare, serving a plethora of truck drivers passing through the area.
Salt & Pepper, 268 Lincoln St., Worcester
Another restaurant without a Worcester Lunch Car Co. dining car to make the list is Salt & Pepper. The family-owned and operated business has been serving up breakfast and brunch since 2013.
Dinky's Blue Belle Diner vs. Marvin's Corner Lunch
Dinky's Blue Belle Diner, 70 Clinton St., Shrewsbury
Established in 1992 and reestablished in 2010, Dinky's started out with just ice cream and hot dogs. The diner itself is Worcester Lunch Car number 814 and was built in 1948. Before Shrewsbury, the dining car had been located in Worcester, Princeton and the Ragsdale neighborhood of Shrewsbury.
Marvin's Corner Lunch. 131 Lamartine St., Worcester
According to the diner, it is "a historic New Jersey-style wood and steel diner located in the Canal District" and differs from those manufactured by the Worcester Lunch Car Co. just one block away.